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5 October 2016updated 29 Jul 2021 4:00pm

Gin in a tin: how does an alcoholic switcheroo alter the story of The Girl on The Train?

The film version of Paula Hawkins’ hit novel has moved settings from London to New York – and the protagonist’s drink of choice has changed as a result. Does that impact the wider story?

By Anna Leszkiewicz

The pre-mixed gin and tonic fizzes up over the lip of the can as I bring it to my mouth and sip. Tangy and cold, the taste of my first ever holiday with Tom, a fishing village on the Basque coast in 2005. In the mornings we’d swim the half-mile to the little island in the bay, make love on secret hidden beaches; in the afternoons we’d sit at a bar drinking strong, bitter gin and tonics, watching swarms of beach footballers playing chaotic 25-a-side games on the low-tide sands.

I take another sip, and another; the can’s already half empty but it’s OK, I have three more in the plastic bag at my feet. It’s Friday, so I don’t have to feel guilty about drinking on the train. TGIF. The fun starts here.

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